1 Chronicles 17 Devotional

Courage to Pray His Promise

“For You, my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build a house for him. Therefore Your servant has found the courage to pray before You.”1 Chronicles 17:25 (BSB)

David notices the gap between his cedar palace and the tent where the ark rests, and Nathan tells him to go ahead (17:1-2). That night God answers differently. He has never asked anyone for a house of cedar (17:6). Instead, he recounts what he has done for David, and he promises to build David a house, to raise up a son whose throne he will establish forever, and to set that son over God's own house and kingdom (17:7-14).

Notice how David prays afterward. He is amazed that God has brought him this far (17:16), and then he asks God to do exactly what he has promised (17:23). He says he has found courage to pray because God revealed his plan to him (17:25). That is prayer grounded in God's word. He is asking God to keep his own promise, so that God's name will be magnified forever (17:24). Paul says every promise of God finds its yes in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). His word gives your prayers solid ground.

To think about: Which promise of God could you pray back to him today, asking him to do what he has said?